Starline Names New Regional Sales Manager



Grand Island, NY - Starline has announced the addition of Jackson Medina as regional sales manager.

Medina will oversee sales efforts across Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Colorado.

“We’re excited to welcome Jackson to the Starline team,” says Brian Porter, CRO at Starline. “His energy, industry knowledge and commitment to service align perfectly with our values, and we’re confident he will make an immediate impact across his territory.”

T-Shirt Design Contest – Show Off Your Creativity!

We’re calling on our creative members to help us design a custom PPAMidwest t-shirt for our upcoming Fall show!

Submit your original t-shirt design by June 1st for a chance to have your artwork featured and sold at the event. Designs will be reviewed and selected by our Board of Directors.Even better - all proceeds from the shirt sales will go directly toward our scholarship fund, supporting the future of our industry.

Have a great idea? We can’t wait to see it come to life!

Submit your design by emailing admin@ppam.org by June 1, 2026

Fey Industries Appoints Melinda Marr to Sales Director for Promo Division

Edgerton, MN - Fey Industries recently announced that Melinda Marr is the new sales director for Fey Promo the company’s promo division. Marr has nearly 40 years of industry experience on both the supplier and distributor sides.

In her new position at Fey, Marr will be responsible for driving growth in the company’s customer base, bolstering relationships with key accounts and finding business development opportunities for the supplier’s growing product line – earlier this month, Fey Promo announced it had acquired Promopet and The Bandana Factory from WOVIN Brands.

“I’m excited to join Fey Promo at a time of strong momentum and growth,” Marr said. “The company’s commitment to quality, innovation and U.S.-based manufacturing – combined with the addition of Promopet and The Bandana Factory – creates an exciting opportunity to support distributors in new and meaningful ways.”

Most recently, Marr was vice president of ACS Affiliate Services, where she spearheaded affiliate engagement, marketing and growth strategy. Over her several decades in the industry, she’s been successful at building scalable expansion, strong client and vendor relationships, and results across diverse business environments, according to the company.

“Melinda is a perfect fit for us,” said Mike Fey, president of Fey Industries. “As Melinda and I discussed the best ways to add value to customers and grow in today’s promo industry, I found myself saying, ‘Yes, exactly.’ That tight alignment is like fuel to get further, faster. Her unique experiences with ACS in developing distributor success strategies is a game-changer.”

Wendy Flaherty Joins Arch Promo Group As Director of Digital Strategy

St. Louis, MO - Arch Promo Group has appointed Wendy Flaherty as director of digital strategy, bringing more than 15 years of marketing experience in the promotional products industry to support the company’s next phase of growth.

Wendy previously held marketing leadership roles at BIC Graphic USA (now Koozie Group), DFS and California Tattoos.

At Arch, she will focus on unifying the company’s legacy brands, including BGD Promo, Drum-Line, Gemini Line, HOWW USA, ProRose, StrombergBrand, and TK Sorg’s, under a streamlined digital strategy.

“Wendy brings strong industry knowledge and digital expertise that align perfectly with where Arch Promo Group is headed,” says Scott Andreson, vice president of sales and marketing. “Her leadership will help create a more connected experience for distributors and continue strengthening our brands.”

Why a Well Designed Website Is No Longer Enough - and What Actually Turns Visitors into Buyers

Goran Paun • Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor • Principal, Creative Director at ArtVersion

For years, businesses were told to refresh, redesign and optimize. The result was better-looking websites that often changed very little.

Most companies believe their website is underperforming because of what it lacks visually. The more common problem is that it is too passive. It presents information, but it does not guide. It describes, but it does not reassure. It exists, but it does not do enough to move someone from interest to action.

The website is no longer a brochure medium. It hasn’t been for some time. Yet many businesses still approach it that way — building stories, then assuming a visitor will arrive, read and then decide. That sequence no longer holds. Attention is shorter. Alternatives are immediate. The distance between interest and departure is measured in seconds.

A static, well-designed website in that environment is not a signal of credibility. It becomes a waiting room with no one at the desk. The issue is not the design itself. It is what the site is not doing.

Read More